‘He’s going to be missed greatly’: Community mourning after sudden death of Greensburg detective

GREENSBURG, Pa. — Detective Sergeant John Swank was with the Greensburg police department for nearly two decades and was just a year shy of retirement.

Detective Swank died suddenly Saturday morning from a rare disease affecting his heart.

“It was very unexpected and we’re all kind of in shock and sitting around with quiet, heavy hearts,” Captain Shawn Denning of the Greensburg Police Department said.

Those who worked beside Det. Swank for years are remembering him as not only a hard-working, committed cop, but a good person.

On the job, he handled some of the most complicated and gruesome cases and took every one personally.

“The time, the effort he put into each case. He took each one personally; that’s unmatched. He’s going to be missed greatly, never forgotten and can never be replaced,” Denning said.

Swank valued education in law enforcement. He taught for Westmoreland County Community College and Penn State Fayette.

“There’s not a person out here on the street that hasn’t heard about Swank or the good work and good things he’s done. His overall personality and interaction with the public; he was liked by all of us, in the streets, and people in this building,” Denning said.

A scholarship was up in his name. Click here if you would like to donate.

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